Santa still has trusty Rudolph

The creature - made of polystyrene - was decapitated after making contact with live cables as Santa drove along a road cordoned off after an accident.

The earlier crash - at Tadcaster, North Yorkshire - had left the wires exposed.

Emergency crews were amazed when a man dressed as Santa, towing a nativity scene on a trailer, ignored the closure and his plastic donkey touched a cable.

In the original accident, a woman's car hit an electricity pole, bringing down the wires.

She was not hurt, despite her vehicle turning over, but was treated for shock.

Fire crews said both Santa and the woman had lucky escapes.

Now Santa is hoping someone will give him a new donkey for Christmas.